Summit Program
March 30, 31 and April 1, 2026

Milton Walker is Director of Business Development at NexCOBOT, helping organizations across North America navigate robotics, automation and AI-enabled systems. With nearly three decades in the computer industry, he bridges technical complexity with practical outcomes. He also supports innovation in the robotics ecosystem as a Venture Partner at Renew VC and through boards like Decatur Makers and RoboGeorgia.

Hannah Ranieri is an Innovation Strategist at Orange Sparkle Ball, where she helps corporations and government organizations navigate emerging technologies through high-impact pilot programs.

She specializes in structuring startup collaborations, aligning pilot initiatives with strategic goals and facilitating stakeholder collaboration to accelerate meaningful innovation.

Ashley Touchton is a Partner and Innovation Strategy Consultant at Orange Sparkle Ball, where she focuses on applied research, startup and technology acceleration, and innovation strategy.

With an industrial design background from Georgia Tech, she helps organizations quickly research opportunities and pilot solutions that accelerate startups and move new ideas into real-world impact.

Salil Dokey is a results-driven management consultant focused on solving complex challenges through data-driven insights at the intersection of business, strategy and technology.

With a background in engineering and business strategy, he helps organizations navigate transformation and achieve strategic objectives. Outside work, he enjoys playing and following soccer and other sports.

Paul Damiani is an advanced manufacturing expert in semiconductors and silicon PV with deep experience across the full solar value chain. His career includes solar cell and module design, capital raising production, optimization and rapid product introduction. He has established three PV production lines and brings hands on expertise from silicon crystal growth through system installation.

Gary Walia is a power & energy executive at Southwire with over 20 years leading energy infrastructure, grid modernization and data center initiatives.

Currently leading Southwire’s Grid of the Future, Walia’s work is disrupting the global energy transition toward a smarter, more sustainable and resilient Grid of the Future.

Stanton Lanham is a meteorologist at Duke Energy providing forecasting and weather intelligence across service territories in the Carolinas Midwest and Florida. He supports forecast product development data analysis and air dispersion modeling for the company’s nuclear sites helping strengthen operational readiness safety and informed decision making.

Jared Leader is Senior Director of Resilience at SEPA, advising utilities, policymakers, developers NGOs and end-use consumers on flexible, resilient and clean energy strategies. He previously worked with utility, municipal and industry stakeholders across the energy and water sectors. Jared holds an MS from Johns Hopkins University and a BS from the University of Virginia and was named to PUF’s Fortnightly Under Forty.

Cristina is Executive Director of SC Nexus for Advanced Resilient Energy, South Carolina’s TechHub with 20+ years in economic development, she has led nationally recognized growth initiatives, major industrial expansions and inclusive business programs.

Formerly leading Tallahassee-Leon County’s economic development, she delivered thousands of jobs and impact, while advancing energy resiliency through cross-sector collaboration nationwide.

Robin is Director of Grid Strategy and Solutions for Georgia Power Company focusing on advancing emerging solutions to better plan, optimize and operate the grid. Her work is driven by a passion for shaping the future of energy.

Prior to current role, Lanier lead New Ventures and Environmental Regulatory & Strategy at Georgia Power Company.

Hamed is an accomplished leader, entrepreneur and expert in subsurface engineering with extensive experience across the O&G, geothermal, CCS and energy storage sectors with over 350 global projects, blending technical expertise with strategic business development. Hamed has taught industry-focused courses, delivered SPE and EAGE short courses and served as an SPE Distinguished Lecturer in 2012, 2017 and 2020.

Bill Thomson is a marketing, product and strategy leader with deep experience launching and scaling software, cloud services and technology infrastructure. He specializes in helping growing tech companies sharpen strategy, commercialize products and execute effective go-to-market plans. Bill has led teams across enterprise software, telecommunications and data center solutions, building high-quality end-to-end customer experiences.

Pier is the co-founder and CEO of Sparkfund, which helps utilities deploy DERs to enhance grid affordability, reliability, and resilience. He serves as a Trustee at The Nature Conservancy’s Maryland and DC chapter and a member of Fidelity Charitable’s Next Gen Strategy Committee. Previously, he co-founded an energy efficiency finance service at ICF International and founded Race to Replace, a clean energy voter registration campaign in Vermont.

Ben Heininger is an energy and infrastructure specialist focused on data center strategy and energy users. He advises investors and corporates on interconnection, on-site generation, procurement, and decarbonization.

Based in New York, he works across North America and Europe on power, gas, and low carbon infrastructure strategy and transactions.

Sam White turns climate tech ideas into scalable businesses. A co-founder of Greentown Labs, he has scaled thermal battery, cooling, and recycling ventures across global markets. Now leading GreenLabs Recycling, he drives circular manufacturing through problem-led innovation, strong partnerships, anchor customers, and teams built for durable growth.

Jeff Pratt is Vice President of Emerging Technologies at Oglethorpe Power, one of the nation’s largest power supply cooperatives and a leading energy producer in Georgia. He supports a diverse resource portfolio delivering reliable, affordable, safe and environmentally responsible power to 38 consumer-owned EMCs serving approximately 4.7 million Georgians statewide through innovation and emerging leadership.

Stephanie Gossman is Planning and Policy General Manager at Georgia Power, where she leads efforts to prepare the future grid through customer growth planning, generation interconnection and grid standards. With deep experience in transmission engineering, grid transformation and electric transportation, she drives reliable infrastructure solutions that support evolving customer needs and long-term system resilience across Georgia.

Richard is a Principal at Quadrant-i, catalyzing new energy/cleantech companies anchored in Georgia Tech IP, and a Senior Fellow at the Strategic Energy Institute. He co-founded Merit SI, partnered with Turner Enterprises on two successful cleantech companies, served as V.P. Project Development at First Solar, and in leadership at ERCOT ISO.

Ben Heininger is an energy and infrastructure specialist focused on data center strategy and energy users. He advises investors and corporates on interconnection, on-site generation, procurement, and decarbonization.

Based in New York, he works across North America and Europe on power, gas, and low carbon infrastructure strategy and transactions.

Michael is a partner at Baringa, serving as US Utilities Lead and Global Head of Asset Resilience. He advises utilities, energy companies and infrastructure funds on the energy transition, focusing on climate resilience, regulatory innovation, grid analytics and operational due diligence. He also serves on the Georgia Tech Executive Round Table alumni board.

Kristofor Anderson is an experienced government leader overseeing diverse energy programs spanning residential efficiency, electric grid resiliency, renewable energy, workforce development, performance contracting, emergency response, energy policy, fuel storage and related state priorities. He brings deep expertise in program development, implementation, oversight, federal grant writing and stakeholder relations across complex public sector environments nationwide today.

Nathaniel Smith is founder and Chief Equity Officer of the Partnership for Southern Equity. A child of Southern Freedom Movement Activists, Smith works to create the conditions that enable just and fair inclusion into a society in which all people can participate and prosper. Under his leadership, PSE launched the South’s first equity-mapping tool, expanded MARTA transit and supported equity-focused initiatives like the COVID-19 Rapid Relief Fund and Justice40 Accelerator.

Giri Iyer is a technology and business leader with more than 30 years of experience across the energy and healthcare sectors. He leverages expertise in electrical engineering, global strategy and AI to drive innovation, M&A and ecosystem development. A four-time GE Innovation Award winner, Giri has generated over $2B in revenue growth while advancing grid reliability, resiliency and renewable integration.

Charles Hua is Founder and Executive Director of PowerLines, a nonprofit modernizing utility regulation to lower bills and grow the economy. He previously served as Senior Policy Advisor at the U.S. Department of Energy and at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, where he focused on grid modernization and energy policy. Hua has been recognized by the White House as a U.S. Presidential Scholar and by the Aspen Institute as a Fellow.